Method of constructing subways and like underground structures



Aug. 30, 1938. R. H. BURKE 2,128,284

METHOD DE c'oNsTRUcTINc sUBwAYs AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES 'FiledMay 14, 1938 :s sheets-sheet 1 af-gj,

\ V. ,E E Il/ X A N lf/ EMKEDMEMWM.

R. H. BURKE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SUBWAYS AND LIKE UNDERGROUNDSTRUCTURES Aug. 30, 1938.

Filed May 14, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938. R H BURKE METHOD oFcoNsTRUcTING suBwAYs AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES Filed May 14, 19385 Sheets-Sheet 5 T, ff, .....n/A, 4 V a KANT:

Patented Aug.v 30, 1938 METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SUBWAYS AND LIKEUNDERGROUND STRUCTURES Ralph I-I. Burke, Evanston, Ill.

Application May 14, 1938, Serial No. 207,897

Claims.

The present invention relates to the construction of subways and otherunderground structures, and contemplates a new mode of operation thatincludes rst erecting the retaining walls that constitute the sides ofthe proposed subway, then rooiing over the space between such Walls toform a roadway as well as a ceiling for the subway, so that theconstruction of the subway may be carried on with little if anyinterference with the use of the street or roadway for traffic. Theretaining walls may be located at or near the lines of the curbs, and bythen roofing over the space between such Walls a roadway may be providedfor traino while at the same time the material l5 between the side wallsand under the roof is being excavated and the subway is being completedin other respects.

It is old in the art to build underground retaining Walls by firstsinking a vertical shaft and then excavating the earth and building theWall in sectional courses, beginning at the lowermost course of the walland constructing each superjacent course or section upon a subjacentcourse or section that has been previously completed. In .3 suchconstructions, however, the first Wall section or course is completedbefore the next wall section tunnel is excavated, and it is thereforenecessary in such cases to carry the concrete for each course downthrough the shaft and into each tunnel, the lling beginning at the faror blind end of the tunnels, requiring the expenditure of much time andlabor in placing the concrete. With such method, also, the materialexcavated from each of the upper tunnels must be removed through thetunnel in which the excavating is then being carried on, which oftennecessitates the excavation of a larger tunnel than is needed t0accommodate the concrete wall desired, and also requires the use offorms to construct the concrete wall of the dimensions desired, all ofwhich makes for crowded working conditions in the tunnel and thereforeloss of time in the excavating operations. It is also old in the art toexcavate the earth between the walls before roofing over the spacebetween them, and to place in such excavation forms that are suitablybraced from below on to which the concrete of the roof section of thesubway is poured.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a simpleand safe method of constructing retaining walls, supporting piers andthe like, and the roofs of subways and other underground structures,whereby the time and labor required in the excavating operation and thelling with concrete to form the same will be reduced to a minimum, so asto make the construction of such retaining walls and roof inexpensive ascompared to the prior methods of construction.

In constructing a subway, or like underground structure, by my improvedmethod, I first sink a vertical shaft to a point level with or below thelowermost section of the Wall to be constructed. Then, beginning at thelower end of the shaft, I excavate a tunnel of suitable height, and ofabout the width of the thickness of the proposed wall. This lowermosttunnel is of such size and shape as to provide Working room fortransporting the earth excavated therefrom and from the superposedtunnels subsequently excavated. Since the base section of the proposedwall is ordinarily wider than the upper portions, the lowermost tunnelis about the width of the proposed base section. The length of thistunnel will correspond with the length of the wall section that is to bebuilt by operating from the shaft. In extending this lowermost tunnelits sides are lagged or lined with side plates and said plates arebraced or stiffened with strips or angles secured to upper and lowermargins thereof. Also secured to the side plates adjacent their uppermargins are cross strips or braces spaced apart longitudinally of thetunnel. Loosely supported by the stiffening strips at the upper marginsof the side plates are removable steel plates forming a temporary solidroof for the lowermost tunnel to retain the earth above it. Aftercompleting the excavation ofthe lowermost tunnel, still operating fromthe shaft,

the next higher tunnel isv excavated, the plates forming the roof of thelowermost tunnel being successively removed as the excavatingprogresses, thus allowing the material excavated from the upper tunnelto drop down between the cross strips into the lowermost tunnel, fromwhich it is removed through the shaft. The sides of the second tunnelare lagged and braced in a manner similar to those of the rst tunnel,and in addition the lower margins of the side plates of the secondtunnel are secured to the upper margins of the side plates of the lowertunnel, spacedapart cross strips or braces are connected between theupper margins of the side plates of the second tunnel, and removablesteel plates are placed to form a solid roof for such tunnel, as in thecase of the lowermost tunnel. After digging the second tunnel, the nexthigher one is excavated in the same Way, in each case the excavatedmaterial being allowed to drop into the lowermost tunnel for removaltherefrom through the shaft, and so on until the full height of the wallis reached. Of course, in the case of a topmost tunnel which would reachthe street level, if preferred the material dislodged could be thrownout into the street instead of being allowed to drop through the severaltunnels into the bottom one. After the several tunnels have beencompletely excavated concrete is poured into them through pipesextending from the ground surface into the uppermost tunnel, or extendedinto the lower tunnels, as may be desired, said pipes being spaced apartat suitable distances along the length of the proposed wall, and theconcrete will pass through the pipes or the open upper portions of theseveral tunnels in the filling operation, so that the lowermost tunnelwill be lled first, and then the remaining tunnels in succession, aswill be readily appreciated. If the uppermost tunnel reaches the groundsurface or street level, the pipes may be dispensed with and theconcrete poured directly into the several tunnels by the usual method tofill them in succession. Tunnels may be extended from the shaft in morethan one direction, so that by sinking one shaft a considerable lengthof wall or walls can be formed. Similarly, a shaft may be provided ateach end of a proposed wall section, with the work progressing towardsthe center of said section from the two shafts.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of means for carryingout my improved method. As there illustrated:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view througha shaft andthree partially completed superposed tunnels, showing the successivesteps of excavating and forming the tunnels; also one of the concretereceiving pipes extending between the upper tunnel and the groundsurface;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2 2 ofFigure l, and showing in addition in dotted lines two adjacent parallelretaining walls;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showingthe cross strips or braces interposed between the upper and lower endsof the side plates at opposite sides of the tunnel;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section on an enlarged scale,showing the means for connecting the side plates of a lower tunnel tothe sid-e plates of the next higher tunnel, and the means for connectingthe cross braces to the side plates;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional View showing a subway structurecomprising three retain- -ing walls and a roof supported thereonconstructed in accordance with my improved method and before the earthbetween the retaining walls and below the roof has been excavated; and

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Figure 5 showingthe subway after the excavation of the earth between the walls and belowthe roof, and the laying of the oor.

In carrying out my improved method, I first construct two side walls,and an intermediate wall when one is required, and each of such walls isconstructed by sinking a vertical shaft 6 down to a point level with orbelow the foot of the lowermost section of the proposed wall, and theside walls of the shaft may be lined with a plurality of side platessuch as those shown at 'l in Figure l, if desired. Then a tunnel 8 isexcavated, commencing at the bottom of the shaft and extending along theline of the proposed wall, and as the excavating progresses a pluralityof side plates 9 are placed along the sides of the tunnel to prevent theearth adjacent thereto from falling into the tunnel, as is usual intunnel construction. The plates 9 in the lowermost tunnel extend fromthe top to the bottom of the tunnel, and in the preferred constructionsaid side plates are or diverge outwardly from top to bottom as shown inFigures 2 and 3, so that the bottom portion of the tunnel is wider thanthe top portion thereof. The purpose of such construction is to providemore room for the workmen engaged in removing the material from thetunnel and also to provide for the use of small dump cars, such as shownat C in Figure 3, that ar-e usually used in tunnel construction. Theside plates 9 may be joined together by flanges or otherwise to form acontinuous lining. If desired, after all of the tunnels have beencompleted and before the concrete is poured thereinto, verticallyarranged side plates may be inserted in lieu of the diverging plates 9,or the plates 9 may be left in place and vertically arranged plates orforms of other desired shape may be inserted on the inner sides thereofin addition thereto, to form the concrete wall of any desired shape ordimension.

An angle bar I9 is secured to the inner face of each of the side plates9 adjacent the upper margin thereof by welding or otherwise suitablysecuring one flange II of said bar to said plate, the other flange I2 ofthe angle bar extending inwardly from said plate in a horizontal planefor a purpose to be hereinafter described. The upper ends of the sideplates 9 at opposite sides of the tunnel are braced and held apart byspaced-apart cross strips or braces I3 that are preferably in the formof steel rods or bars having their outer ends reduced in diameter asshown at It and inserted in holes I5 provided therefor in the flanges IIof the angle bars IE) as best shown in Figure 4. Removable steel platesII are placed loosely on the angle bars IE! to form a temporary roof forthe lowermost tunnel and to retain the earth above such lowermost tunneluntil said earth is excavated in forming the next higher tunnel. Theseremovable plates i6 provide a footing for the workmen in excavating thenext higher tunnel, and are removed in succession as such excavationproceeds. The brace rods I3 are preferably formed in twosectionsconnected together by a turnbuckle to facilitate the insertion of theends ld of the rods in the holes I5 and to adjust them tightly in place,as will be readily appreciated. It is to be understood that any desirednumber of such braces may be used as are necessary to resist thepressure of the earth on the sides of the tunnel, so long as they arespaced apart sufficiently to permit the material excavated from the nexthigher tunnels, and the concrete that is poured in from above when thetunnels are completed, to drop therebetween into the lower tunnels.

As shown in Figure 3, preferably an angle bar I'I is secured to theinner face of each of the side plates 9 adjacent its lower margin in amanner similar to that in which the angle bars I0 are secured to theupper margins of said plates, and the lower ends of the side plates 9 atopposite sides of the tunnel are braced and held apart by lowercross-braces or rods I8, similar to the upper brace rods I3, that havetheir reduced outer ends inserted in holes provided therefor in theflanges of the angle bars I1.

After the first tunnel has been completed to any desired or convenientdistance from the shaft, and before concrete is placed therein, theexcavating of the second tunnel 23 is commenced, starting from theshaft. As the excavating of the tunnel 23 progresses the removable steelplates I6 forming the solid roof of the lower tunnel 8 are removed,allowing the material excavated from the tunnel 23 to drop between thecross strips or braces I3 into the rlowermost tunnel, from which it isremoved from the shaft. During this work the sides of the tunnel 23 arelined with steel side plates 24 similar to the side plates 9 of thelowermost tunnel except that the plates 24 are preferably verticallyarranged as shown. These plates 24 are also preferably joined togetherby flanges or otherwise to make a continuous lining. Each of the sideplates 24 adjacent its lower margin is provided with an angle bar 25having one flange 26 thereof secured to said plate and its other flange21 extending inwardly from said plate in a horizontal plane in aposition just above the ilange I2 of the angle bar I0 at the upper endof the side plate 9 of the lower tunnel, and the angle bars I0 and 25are secured together by means of a bolt 28 extending through alignedopenings in the flanges I2 and 21 of said angle bars, respectively, saidbolt being held in position by a nut 29 threaded thereon.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower ends of the side plates 24 atopposite sides of the tunnel 23 are braced and held apart by spacedapart cross braces 3l similar to the cross braces I3 and I 1, and havetheir reduced outer ends 32 inserted in holes 33 provided therefor inthe iianges 28 of the angle-bars 25, as shown in Figure 4.

The upper ends of the side plates 24 at opposite sides of the tunnel 23are held spaced apart in proper position by means of spaced cross braces35 (Figure 1) that are similar in all respects to the cross braces I3and similarly connected to the angle bars 36 at the upper ends of theside plates 24. Removable steel plates 31 are placed on said angle bars36 to form a temporary roof for the tunnel 23, similar in all respectsto the plates I6 which form the temporary roof of the tunnel 8.

After the second tunnel has been completed, the y next succeeding highertunnel 38 is excavated, commencing at the shaft, and as the excavatingprogresses the material dislodged is allowed to drop between the braces35 and 3I, and I3 of the tunnel sections 23 and 8, respectively, to thebottom of the lowermost tunnel 8, from which the material is removedthrough the shaft. This tunnel 38 is lined with side plates 39 similarto the side plates 24 and cross braced as shown at 4 I-42 in Figure 1 inthe same manner as the side plates 24 as above described, and removablesteel plates 43 are-placed on the angles 44 at the upper ends of theside plates 39 to form a roof for the tunnel 38, in the same manner asplates I6 and 31 are used in tunnels 8 and 23, respectively.

It is well to point out that the excavation of each of the upper tunnelsmay be started as soon as the next lower tunnel has been excavated ashort distance, so that the work of excavating the several tunnels maybe concurrent to a large extent, as will be readily understood.

In cases where the uppermost tunnel section 38 does not reach the groundsurface, as in the illustrated construction, I provide means for fillingthe tunnel sections with concrete from the ground surface, and suchmeans comprises a plurality of pipes 44, one of which is shown in Figurel, that are spaced apart at suitable distances along the length of theupper tunnel and extend from the ground surface into said tunnel. Theconcrete for filling the tunnels is poured into said pipes and dropsdown between the several spaced brace members of the tunnels, theseveral tunnels being lled in succession, beginning with the lowermosttunnel. If desired, pipes 44 may be extended into the tunnels 8, 23, and38 by extension pipe sections 45, as shown in .dotted lines in Figure 1,such extension pipe sections being removed as the placing of concreteproceeds. In cases where the uppermost tunnel reaches 'the groundsurface, the pipes 44 are dispensed with and the material is poureddirectly into the uppermost tunnel, and distributed in the tunnels bythe usual construction method.

One advantage derived from my method of constructing retaining walls fortunnels is that by providing the spaced apart braces in the severaltunnels, reenforcing members that extend through all of the tunnels maybe introduced before the concrete is poured 'into the tunnels, wherebythe finished wall will be properly strengthened and reenforced from topto bottom.

The method of constructing retaining walls outlined above isparticularly advantageous in building subways under city streets, as, bythe method described, the operation of building each wall may beconi-ined to a narow space at one side of the roadway without thenecessity of digging up the whole street or half of the street as thework progresses, thereby reducing interference with traiiic to aminimum.

After the side walls, and the intermediate Wall if one is required, havebeen completed, as above j as the roof of the subway. This is donebefore the earth between the walls is removed, so that such earthsupports the concrete that forms the roof while the concrete is beingpoured. In Figure 5 I have illustrated a subway construction comprisingtwo side retaining and supporting walls 41 and 48 and a centrallydisposed supporting wall 49 on which a roof 5I formed in the mannerabove described is supported. After the roof has been completed, theearth between the walls 41 and 49 and 48 and 4Q and below the roof 5I isexcavated down to a point in line with the lower ends of the walls 41,48, and 49, and concrete is then laid between the several walls to formthe. iloor sections 52 and 53 as shown in Figure 6.

This method of construction is particularly advantageous in buildingsubways under city streets since it provides a practical means ofconstructing the side walls of the subway before the main excavating ofthe subway is begun. The walls having thus been irst constructed, theroof of the subway may be constructed at street level, resting upon thepreviously constructed walls, after which the excavating necessary forcompleting the subway may be proceeded with beneath the completed roofand between the completed walls, in utmost safety, without interferencewith street trafc and without the inconvenience of using temporarybracing to hold the sides or roof of the excavation. It is apparent thatthe procedure above described, which is ina-de possible by the use of mymethod of constructing concrete retaining walls described herein,obviates the necessity of constructing a temporary street deck structureunder which the work of carried on, and thereforeV provides forconstructing subways at a higher level than heretofore, thus effecting asubstantial saving in the total amount of excavating work required forthe subway; and obviating entirely the we of back lling that is usuallyrequired above. the roof of the subway to fill to the required streetgrade and saving entirely the repaving of the street after constructionof the subway. The method is of further advantage in the operation ofthe subway after completion, in that it allows construction of thesubway at a higher level than was heretofore practicable, minimizing thesteps necessary for the users of the subway to take in descending to andascending from the platform levels in the subway.

1. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways,underground structures, and the like, which comprises sinking a shaft toor below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavatinga tunnel beginning at said shaft, excavating similar successively highertunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said firsttunnel, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the materialtherefrom will drop down into said first tunnel, removing the materialexcavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermosttunnel, and lling said tunnels in succession, commencing with thelowermost tunnel, from above with concrete.

2. The method of constructing a plurality of superposed tunnels for thepurpose of building a concrete retaining wall, which comprises sinking ashaft to or below the level of the foot of the proposed wall, excavatingthe lowermost tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectionalremovable ceiling for said tunnel, successively excavating andconstructing one or morey like superposed tunnels over and in line `withsaid lowermost tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings,so that 'the material excavated from said superposed tunnels is allowedto drop down into the lowermost tunnel, and removing the materialexcavated from said superposed tunnels from said lowermost tunnelthrough said shaft.

3. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways andthe like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of thefoot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning atsaid shaft, providing a secv tional removable ceiling for said tunnel,excavating and constructing similar successivelyhigher tunnels beginningat said shaft along the line of and over said first tunnel, meanwhileprogressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels aresuccessively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into saidrst tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively highertunnels through said lowermost tunnel, and filling said tunneds insuccession from above with concrete.

4. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways andthe like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of thefoot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning atsaid shaft, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnelexcavating and constructing similar successively higher tunnelsbeginning at said shaft along the line of and over said first tunnel,meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnelsare successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down intosaid first tunnel,

removing the material excavated from successiveproviding an openingbetween the uppermost tunnel and the ground surface, and filling all ofsaid tunnels in succession, commencing with the lowermost tunnel, withconcrete poured through said opening.

5. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways andthe like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of thefoot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning atsaid shaft, providing lining plates along the side walls of the tunnel,providing spaced apart cross braces between the upper ends of the liningplates at opposite sides of said tunnel, providing a sectional removableceiling for said tunnel, excavating and constructing successively highertunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over the rsttunnel in a manner similar to that of said first tunnel, meanwhileprogressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels aresuccessively excavated the material therefrom will drop down betweensaid cross braces into said first tunnel, removing the materialexcavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermosttunnel, and filling all of said tunnels, in succession, commencing withthe lowermost tunnel, with concrete poured into said tunnels'from above.

6. The method of constructing subways and like underground structures,which comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls belowthe ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft toor below the level of the foot of the proposed wall, excavating thelowermost tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectionalremovable ceiling for said tunnel, successively excavating andconstructing one or more like superposed tunnels over and in line withsaid lowermost tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings,so that the material excavated from said superposed tunnels is allowedto drop down into the lowermost tunnel, removing the material excavatedfrom said superposed tunnels from said lowermost tunnel through saidshaft, roofing over the space between said retaining walls to form aroof for the subway, and thereafter removing the material from betweensaid walls and below said roof. y

'7. The method of constructing subways and like underground structures,which comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls belowthe ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft toor below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavatinga tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectional removableceiling for said tunnel, excavating and constructing similarsuccessively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line ofand over said rst tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing suchceilings, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated thematerial therefrom will drop down into said iirst tunnel, removing thematerial excavated from successively higher tunnels through saidlowermost tunnel, lling said tunnels in succession from above theconcrete, roofing over the space between said retaining walls to form aroof for the subway, and thereafter removing the material from betweensaid walls and below said roof.

8. The method of constructing subways and other underground structureswhich comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls belowthe ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft toor below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, eX-cavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, excavating similarsuccessively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line ofand over said rst tunnel, whereby as said tunnels are successivelyexcavated the material therefrom will drop down into said rst tunnel,removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels throughsaid lowermost tunnel, and lling said tunnels in succession, commencingwith the lowermost tunnel, from above with concrete, roofing over thespace between said retaining walls to form a roof for the subway, andthereafter removing the material from between said walls and below saidroof.

9. The method of constructing a subway under a street or roadway whichcomprises constructing a retaining wall below the ground surface alongeach side of the roadway, roong over the space between said walls toform a pavement for the roadway and a roof for the subway, andthereafter excavating the earth from between said walls and below saidroof.

10. The method of constructing a subway which comprises constructing aretaining wall below the ground surface along each side of the subway,constructing a roof for the subway supported by said retaining walls,and thereafter excavating the earth from between said walls and belowsaid roof.

RALPH H. BURKE.

